Seaside, FL

Here's a little painting I did a couple of years ago after a visit to Seaside in Florida. For those of you that have never visited Seaside it is the first really good example of New Urbanism planning in the United States and although it's meant to be a relaxing holiday beach retreat it has become a huge tourist attraction. Almost any day you'll find busloads of tourists milling around the place viewing the quite interesting architecture and enjoying the open space and beach.

This little house characterizes the 'beach' style of houses at Seaside. Although it seems strange to have a small tower on a house at the beach it harkens back to the day when sea captains built such a place on their homes so their wives could stand and view the harbour to welcome them back home after a long voyage. Only too often the sea captains would not return so these are sadly referred to as 'the widows peak' in coastal lore.